4 Canapes To Enjoy At Christmas
One of the star dishes of the upcoming holidays is the Christmas canapés. There are a large number of possibilities to suit all tastes. Plus, many of them allow for preparation a day in advance, helping to save time in the kitchen on special days.
With just a few ingredients you can create authentic, tasty and colorful recipes. The ideal touch for a table worthy of these Christmas days. Do you dare to try them? In the following space we share 4 ways to make them at home.
What are canapes?
According to the exact definition of the Royal Spanish Academy, a canapé is “a portion of bread or puff pastry covered with a small amount of food, which is usually served as an aperitif.”
In other words, it is a small bite that is served just before the main dishes. It is very characteristic of French gastronomy, and allows a great variety of preparations, not necessarily on a bread base.
They can be sweet, salty, sour, or spicy. They admit the use of common or more sophisticated ingredients. In any case, their size makes it easy to eat them in one bite.
1. Canapes of dates with bacon
Dates are known for their content of phytonutrients and antioxidant compounds. In this case, combined with small strips of smoked bacon, they are the ideal complement to make Christmas canapes. Aim!
Ingredients
- Pitted dates.
- Strips of smoked bacon.
- Extra virgin olive oil.
Instructions
- Remove the bones from the dates and roll with the bacon strips. Prick with a toothpick to hold together.
- Heat a frying pan with olive oil and fry or sauté the dates until they are golden brown. Place on a tray with absorbent paper to remove excess fat.
- If preferred, they can be roasted in the oven. To do this, brush the bacon with olive oil and bake until they are perfectly toasted.
2. Smoked salmon roll canapes, arugula and cheese
Salmon is widely used in cooking to prepare all kinds of appetizers. It has a delicate and tasty flavor and adapts very well to many ingredients that can accompany it. In addition, with its striking color it becomes a very attractive and appetizing sofa.
Ingredients
- Slices of white, whole wheat or seeded bread.
- Natural cream cheese to spread.
- Smoked salmon.
- Arugula
Instructions
- Place the bread slices on a dry surface. Trim the edges and flatten a little with a rolling pin.
- Spread the bread with the cheese. Top with a sheet of smoked salmon.
- Wash and dry the arugula leaves very well. Put on top of the salmon and roll everything together tightly to prevent it from opening.
Christmas canapes with fruits and vegetables
Snacks can also be made with less common ingredients such as fruits or vegetables. Some of the best are apples, grapes, or tangerines mixed with cheese, nuts, or a bit of ham.
Other ingredients like zucchini, eggplant, and cherry tomatoes are also appropriate. Let’s look at a version with cream cheese and grapes.
Ingredients
- Slices of German bread.
- Cream cheese suitable for spreading.
- Black grapes
- Red cabbage sprouts to decorate.
Instructions
- Cut the bread slices into four or small portions.
- Spread with the cream cheese and garnish with the red cabbage sprouts.
- Wash and dry the grapes. Cut in half and place on the couch.
To prepare these canapés with grapes you can use a natural cream cheese or other types of cheese that can be spread such as blue cheese or Roquefort.
Homemade Cracker Canapes
With these salty cookies you get a base to assemble some original Christmas canapes. Unlike breads and puff pastry, it does not go soft. In fact, it can be done a few days before.
Ingredients
- Pitted olives (50 g).
- Flax, chia or sesame seeds (30 g).
- Spelled flour (70 g).
- Corn flour (70 g)
- Water (as necessary).
- Olive oil (30 ml).
- A pinch of salt.
Step by Step
- Put the seeds in a bowl. Add the cornmeal, spelled flour and salt. Mix everything very well.
- Drain the olives and chop them with a knife. Add to the container with the flours.
- Add the oil and water.
- Mix the dough well, first with a spoon and then with your hands. It is not necessary to work it like a bread dough, since it only has to be compact.
- Preheat the oven to 180º. Put heat up and down and with a fan.
- Meanwhile, shape the crackers. For this it is necessary to cover the work surface with greaseproof paper and roll out the dough with a rolling pin. The ideal thickness is 2 to 3 millimeters.
- Cut out the cookies with the chosen cutter mold. Collect the remnants of dough and stretch again to take advantage of it all. Place on the baking tray.
- Cook the cookies for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and rest for another 15 minutes.
Once the cookies are cold, they can be assembled with the desired filling. They go very well with cream cheese and salmon, hummus with peppers or mashed aubergines with anchovies. They keep tasty and crisp in an airtight container for at least a week.
Last tips to prepare Christmas canapes successfully
When it comes to cooking appetizers, the necessary ingredients change depending on the amount that needs to be prepared. Therefore, it is better to calculate the amounts according to the guests and the different types of canapes that are presented at the end.
To prepare the recipes with a bread base you can use puff pastry, tartlets, crackers or toast. You just have to keep in mind that some of them can soften and you need to prepare them at the moment.
Opting for this type of starter allows you to adapt the preparation to the taste of all diners or to possible food allergies. There are a large number of recipes suitable for celiacs, vegans or intolerant to cow’s milk.
The best thing about Christmas canapes is that they can be prepared in advance. In this way, the people in charge of cooking can leave it ready the day before or a few hours before, and also enjoy family food and company.
